Celine Dion says she’s ‘never been happier’ as she begins break

By Robin Leach · March 18, 2009 · 2:02 PM

Over Super Bowl weekend back in January, Vegas DeLuxe published an exclusive photo of superstar singer Celine Dion rubbing her tummy and indicating the beginning of a baby bump (click HERE for that photo and story). She was appearing in Florida
There’s been absolutely no confirmation from her camp about any pregnancy, but I can now reliably tell you that Celine has begun what she describes as an 18-month hiatus from all career activities!

Celine says her appearance on the Quebec TV reality show Star Academie was her final public performance for the next year and a half. Husband Rene Angelil, who also is Celine’s manager, told the contestants: “Don’t be intimidated -- and, remember, Celine started off by singing on television when she was only 13 years old.”

Immediately afterward, Celine made no secret of the fact in this week’s current Canadian edition of Hello! magazine that she plans another baby! The 40-year-old French-Canadian songbird revealed: “I’ve never been happier. I want to be more successful now as a mother than as a singer.”

Does that sound like a half-confirmation? A hesitant nod before a full announcement? Celine has never hidden the fact that she and Rene stored frozen eggs for an in-vitro pregnancy.

Celine had returned home to her hometown for three final Montreal concerts that ended her yearlong Taking Chances Tour. Now I can reveal that she will travel between her Lake Las Vegas home and settle at her huge Florida estate during the sabbatical or pregnancy if successful.

Plans are still being formulated for a return to The Colosseum at Caesars Palace for next year. “The welcome mat is always ready, and the door will always be open for her return at any time, “ Caesars President Gary Selesner has told me.

When Celine does return to the Strip, it won’t be under the same terms and conditions of her amazing five-year permanent residency when she performed her New Day show here. She would rotate with alternating weeks off with singers Bette Midler and Cher, who are booked there in three-year contracts.

Celine is still a top pop music attraction. As she ended her tour, she once again was in the top slot of highest-grossing concerts per Pollstar, who reported that she had an average box office gross per city of just under $2 million a night, with an average ticket of $106. Her next nearest competitor was AC/DC at $86 per ticket and an average haul per night of $1.5 million. In comparison, Motley Crue, led by Vegas’ own Vince Neil, debuted in the Top 20 with $50 ticket prices and a nightly gate of $364,076, while our hometown heroes The Killers were No. 13 with an average ticket price of $41 and a nightly take of $283,412.